All information on this Web site regarding the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) procedures is subject to change without notice. Efforts are taken to ensure the accuracy and integrity of all information provided. NJDOT is not responsible for misprints or out-of-date printed information. NJDOT makes no warranty, expressed or implied and assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any information printed from this Web site. The content, including any procedures, process and/or technical documents described in this Web site, has been compiled from a variety of sources and is subject to change without notice.

Capital Project Delivery

Construction Management

Constructability

The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Constructability function focuses on major issues that could stop a project or cause significant project delays, cost overruns, and construction claims. Constructability minor flaws are those which do not affect the constructability of the project, such as spelling mistakes, inlet grate elevation errors, quantity errors.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Subcommittee on Construction has defined Constructability as "a process that utilizes construction personnel with extensive construction knowledge early in the design stages of projects to ensure that the projects are buildable, while also being cost-effective, biddable, and maintainable."

Constructability is the extent that a project’s design provides for ease of construction yet meets the overall requirements of that project. To achieve the overall project objectives, constructability evaluators use their construction knowledge and experience in planning, design, procurement, and field operations.

Experienced construction personnel who get involved with all Capital Projects from the earliest stage will:

Include representatives from different geographic regions of the State who offer expertise and understanding of how a project is planned and built , and

Perform the constructability
function immediately following
the Project Charter, which
outlines the purpose of the
project.

Process Goal

The Constructability team will:

Provide constructability
input and evaluation during
Concept Development, Preliminary
Engineering and Final Design,
thereby improving the Designer's
end product;

Capitalize on NJDOT construction expertise and construction experience combined with regional knowledge of the geography and local community;

Help achieve the overall project objective of developing the best solutions at the most reasonable cost. The Constructability function personnel are active during project planning, design, procurement, and with field operations; and

Provide the means for the Department to design and construct the most efficient solution to a defined transportation need.

Process Objectives

The objectives of Constructability include:

Provide guidance from
a Constructability point
of view to ensure the proposed
solution is the most viable
and can be built as planned
within the proposed timeframe.

Include NJDOT in the overall
constructability function.
Those performing the Constructability
function will provide constructability
guidance early in the process.
They will be involved during
Concept Development to help
select the best alternative.
The Scoping Team and Designers
will participate in the Scoping
process, as requested.

Provide for increased productivity, improve the sequence of construction, enhance project quality, decrease maintenance and provide for a safer project during and post construction.

Establish open communication between the Designer, Field Crew, and Constructability.

Develop Constructability guidelines that address items from a constructability perspective.

Reduce the number of Scope Changes.

Reduce the number of claims, conflicts, and disputes.

Early involvement ensures constructability will influence the project’s owners, planners, and designers, as well as material suppliers.

Constructability is used as
a design consideration from
the beginning of the project,
which includes a review of
the Charter. The problem
statement, based on the type
of project, begins to consider
issues, such as geometry, safety,
drainage, traffic, structure,
staging, congestion and signal.

The constructability point of view examines if the project is buildable and biddable, and whether it can be built within the proposed scheduled timeframe.

Gets involved early,
before significant design
costs have been incurred.
Obtaining input from Constructability
as alternative solutions
are being developed is preferred
over waiting until the alternatives
are developed or until a
Preliminary Preferred
Alternative (PPA) is selected.

Reviews the problem statement,
gather some initial data,
and schedule a site visit
to get a hands-on look at
the study location.

Documents their initial
observations and findings
and make them available to
the designer, who solicits
feedback from Constructability
throughout Concept Development,
Preliminary Engineering
and Final Design. Constructability
and ongoing Designer interaction.

Works with the Designer and offers input and feedback.

Meets with the Designer throughout. The Designer is responsible for initiating communications with Constructability Team. Communications include meetings, phone calls, correspondence, emails, faxes, and other formal and informal methods. Additionally, the Designer is responsible for maintaining records of all communications with the Constructability Team and providing copies of those records to them.

Visits the Designer’s office as needed to offer feedback on proposals and decisions with a constructability perspective. They may accompany the Designer on site visits, as needed, to offer feedback on proposals and decisions from a constructability perspective.

Exercises the option to initiate communications with the Designer.

Conducts a formal Final
Design Submission review
only if requested to do so
by the Project Manager and
Executive Regional Manager with approval
of the Director, Division
of Project Management. They
will, however, work with
the Designer throughout the
project development process
and provide feedback and
input.

Informs the Project Manager about any issues and concerns related to constructability. The Project Manager is responsible for reviewing Constructability information and resolving items and issues with the Designer.

Some of the files listed below are in Portable Document Format (PDF) and will require Adobe Acrobat Reader (available at the Adobe Access Page) for viewing.

Construction Scheduling

Construction Scheduling is performed by experienced construction employees who are also familiar with developing project schedules. They get involved with all capital projects early in the Design phase and work with designers to provide advice for construction schedules.

The schedulers also:

Review at Final Design Submissions;

Perform a final review and verification of the Substantial Completion and Completion dates at the Plans Specifications and Estimates submission; and

Verify Resolutions to Final Design Submission comments also at the Plans, Specification & Estimate (PS&E) Submission.

Process Goal

The schedulers’ goal is to ensure that projects can be constructed efficiently, economically and expeditiously without delays or major problems.

Process Objectives

Construction Scheduling objectives are to:

Provide guidance throughout Design from a Constructability viewpoint to ensure the proposed solution is the most viable and can be built as planned within the proposed timeframe.

Use NJDOT’s constructability knowledge and experience. The Construction schedulers will provide scheduling guidance throughout the Design Process and will take an active role working with the designers and participating in the schedule development process.

Establish open communication between the designer, field staff, and the Construction Scheduling Team.

Develop Construction Scheduling guidelines.

Designers solicit feedback from the schedulers throughout Preliminary and Final Design. The Construction Scheduling function and Designer interaction is ongoing.

The Designer is responsible for:

Initiating communications with the Construction Scheduling Team for guidance. Communications include meetings, phone calls, correspondence, e-mails, faxes, and other formal and informal methods;

Maintaining records of all communications with the personnel performing the Construction Scheduling function and providing copies of those records to the Construction Scheduling function personnel.

The Construction Scheduling Team will:

Conduct Final Design Submission
reviews.

Document their observations and findings and make them available to the Project Manager and Designer.

Inform the Project Manager about any issues and concerns related to the Construction schedule.

The Project Manager is responsible for reviewing the Construction Scheduling comments and resolving them with the Designer.

Some of the files listed below are in Portable Document Format (PDF) and will require Adobe Acrobat Reader (available at the Adobe Access Page) for viewing.

Process Swim Lane Flow Charts

Procedures

Contract Administration

The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) will eliminate the need for a Quality Assurance (QA) Unit as part of Process Improvement. These QA functions will reside within the Division of Construction Services and Materials, Bureau of Construction Management, and with Value Solutions. The Contract Administration Team will perform the QA Unit’s function for NJDOT projects.

The QA Teams carry out the Department’s
Quality Assurance Program in support
of delivering the Capital Program
consisting of state and federal projects.
The six QA Review Teams, a Demolition
and Asbestos Remediation Support
Unit and the Office of Project Delivery
are currently responsible for conducting
QA reviews of the plans, specifications,
construction schedules, and the Engineer’s
Estimate on Capital Program projects
for the Final Design
and PS&E
phases, preparing the contract documents
for advertising and preparing addenda
for advertised projects.

Having the Quality Assurance Unit’s function join Contract Administration is consistent with the Process Improvement initiatives at NJDOT that integrates the Quality Assurance and Quality Control functions into the Design phase. This integration will increase design quality by reducing the amount of Errors and Omissions identified within a project. Potential Errors and Omissions will be found early in the design phase where they can be resolved quickly and inexpensively, as opposed to the end of the design phase where implementing a corrective action will be expensive and time consuming.

Define Contract Administration Roles and Responsibilities: The Roles and Responsibilities Matrix defines the responsibilities of the individuals and functions documented in the Contract Administration Swim Lane Flowcharts and the Contract Administration Process Activity Description.

Define and Document Contract Administration Procedures: The procedures will document the activities and functions performed by Contract Administration personnel.

The Contract Administration Procedures define its function, which was formerly performed by the QA Team. These functions include:

Final Design: Participates in the reviewing of the Final Design Submission (FDS) Engineer’s Estimate as well as other components of the FDS as they relate to the Engineer’s Estimate in order to contribute to the Department’s approval to proceed with the advertisement of the project’s contract documents.

PS&E / Advertising: Process contract documents that have been submitted with the PS&E submission in order to provide for the advertisement of that project for construction.

Post-Advertising: Review and process any Addenda necessary to make changes to the contract documents.

Bid Analysis and Award: Analyzing the bid that has been submitted to the Department and make recommendations for the Department to either award or reject the bid.

Demolition and Asbestos Remediation Unit: Arrange for asbestos surveys to be performed on all buildings and structures that are scheduled for demolition. Prepare information and specifications for asbestos abatement and remediation. Process contract documents that are needed in order to provide for demolition or asbestos remediation. Develop advanced demolition contract documents.

Some of the files listed below are in Portable Document Format (PDF) and will require Adobe Acrobat Reader (available at the Adobe Access Page) for viewing.